We were pleased to learn that the new S.C. Health Insurance Program enacted by the General Assembly last year has been approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services has already begun accepting applications for this program.

The important new program is called SC Health Connections Kids and will provide benefits to uninsured children whose family income falls between 150-200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The benefits package for this program is not the same as Medicaid, but instead mirror that of the State Health Plan. The Bureau of Economic Advisors staff estimate that as many as 88,000 uninsured children may qualify for this new program.

The program is designed for families with uninsured children who cannot afford to buy private and provides eligible children, ages 1-18, with a chance to receive coverage thorough a medical home.

The Senate Finance Committee met all week drafting our version of the state’s $7.2 billion budget. With very little money, we were able to provide for the services that the citizens of South Carolina so need. Unfortunately, many agencies had their budgets cut,, but we were able to continue to help education and our future citizens. The budget will be printed during the next week and we will start floor deliberation on April 15th.

The conference committee on the immigration bill has been working hard to come up with a compromise bill. They have reached a tentative agreement that public agencies and businesses with public contracts would have to check employees’ legal status with a driver’s license or a federal internet-based program. Private businesses could use a third option, the federal Employment Eligibility Verification form-commonly called the 1-9 to verify that employees are authorized to work in the country. Also under the compromise, local governments could pass immigration laws as long as they don’t viol;ate federal law or conflict with state law. The conferees hope to vote on the compromise conference committee report next week.

There has also been some movement on the DUI bill, which has been in conference committee all session. The bill links tougher penalties for drunken driving based on how much alcohol the driver has consumed. The only issue that appears to be unresolved is how the law would treat 21-year olds who refuse to take blood-alcohol tests. The conferees should sign off on the bill next week and then they will present the legislation to their respective bodies.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you as your State Senator. It is my privilege and I will strive to do the best job I can for you. Please feel free to contact me on any issue. I can be reached at my home address, 120 W. End Street, Chester, S. C., 29706 or at my legislative office in Columbia, Post Office Box 142, Columbia, S. C. 29202,803-212-6148, or through my Email address - LHS@scsenate.org.